Posts for tag: pregnancy

There are many health concerns when you’re pregnant. And not just for you — what you eat, how you sleep or what medications or supplements you’re taking all have an effect on your baby.

With so many concerns, it’s easy to neglect caring for your teeth. But like other health issues, dental care affects both you and your baby and their future teeth and gum health. For both your sakes taking care of your mouth is a must.

For one thing, you’re more susceptible during pregnancy to periodontal (gum) disease, an infection caused by bacterial plaque built up on teeth surfaces due to ineffective hygiene. It’s believed hormonal changes increase the risk of gingivitis, the inflammation of infected gum tissues, common to expectant mothers.

Gum disease is a serious matter for anyone because of the increased risk of tooth loss. But there’s another potential risk for expectant mothers: the bacteria that causes gum disease can pass through the placenta to the fetus. This can stimulate an inflammatory response from the mother that may result in a pre-term delivery and low birth weight.

There are some things you can do to protect your dental health and your baby’s future health. Maintain a healthy diet with a wide range of whole foods: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, proteins and dairy products. Your doctor may also recommend iron and other supplements to reduce anemia. For the baby’s dental development, be sure you’re taking in sufficient calcium in your diet as well as other vitamins and nutrients. And although it’s common to develop carbohydrate cravings, limit your consumption — especially sugar. Carbohydrates increase the levels of bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Above all, practice consistent daily hygiene by brushing at least twice a day and flossing once. Be sure to visit us at least twice a year for cleanings and checkups. If you notice bleeding, swelling or redness of your gums (signs of gum disease) contact us as soon as possible.

A little extra attention to your teeth and gums while you’re expecting can make a big difference in the health of your own teeth and gums, as well as build a strong foundation for your child’s future oral health.

If you’re pregnant, you may find yourself pondering decisions you didn’t have to think about before. Should you have that glass of wine… or skip it, because of the alcohol; go for the sushi… or avoid uncooked foods; take the pain reliever… or live with the headache. And if you have a toothache — or even if you’re overdue for a checkup and a cleaning — you may also be wondering whether having dental treatment (especially treatment that might involve local anesthetics) is safe for you and your developing baby.

Fortunately, a study that recently appeared in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) should let expectant moms breathe a little easier. The research concludes that it’s safe for pregnant women to undergo dental treatment, including procedures that use local anesthetics.

And that’s good news indeed, because while maintaining good oral health during pregnancy is critical for the developing baby, many expectant moms experience problems during this period.Â Some common issues include a higher risk of tooth decay due to increased carbohydrate consumption, and sore or bleeding gums from a condition called pregnancy gingivitis.

According to the study’s lead author, Aharon Hagai, D.M.D., "[Pregnancy] is a crucial period of time in a woman’s life, and maintaining oral health is directly related to good overall health." Yet, as Dr. Hagai notes, pregnant women sometimes avoid the dentist even if they have a problem. So his team set out to determine whether having dental treatment with anesthesia affected the outcome of pregnancies. They compared a total of 1,004 women, some of whom had dental treatment with local anesthesia, and some who did not.

The research showed there was no significant difference between the two groups. This applied in terms of both major medical problems (such as cleft palate, heart defects or cerebral palsy) and other issues, including low birth weight and preterm delivery. Dr. Hagai summed it up this way: "We aimed to determine if there was a significant risk associated with dental treatment with anesthesia and pregnancy outcomes. We did not find any."

So if you’re pregnant, there’s one less thing to worry about. Go ahead and schedule your routine dental check up — and remember that it is particularly important to have cleanings during pregnancy. Â If you experience changes in your oral health, don’t hesitate to come in for an office visit and cleaning; that way, you can make sure your hormonal changes are not playing havoc with your gums. There is an old saying in some cultures that for every child a woman has, she loses a tooth. Don’t let that happen to you.